Support for single-front targets



June so, 1925. 1,543,711

I'L'HOISINGTON ET AL SUPPORT FOR SINGLE FRONT TARGETS Filed April 8. 1924 2 h h e l By rank I-Iar Ens A TTORNEY June 30, 1925.

H. HOISINGTON ET AL SUPPORT FOR SINGLE FRONT TARGETS 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed April 8, 192A INVENTORS H arry Hui singtnn Er g E LE TTORNE Y Patented June 30, 1925.

nni'ren era @EFEQE,

HARRY norsineron 1am) FRANK nae-sens, on DAVENPQRT; Iowa.

Application filed April 8,

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT or To all whom it may 60710677t.

Be it known that we, HARRY HoIsINo'roN and FRANK HAnsnNs, citizens of the'United States, and residents of Davenport, in the county of Scott and Stateof lowa have invented an Improvement in Supports for hingle-l ront Targets, of which the followinf, is a specification. i

The invention described herein may be used by the Government, or any of its ofticers or employees in prosecution of'work for the Government, or by any other per son'in the United States, without payment to us of any royalty thereon, in accordance with the act of March 3, 1883.

The subject of the prese t invention is a support for a single front arg'et.

In marking a single front target it is necessary to lower the target from the upper or tiring position to a lower or marking position where the target will be accessible to the marker. Where-the lowering isaccomplished by hand apparatus considerable labor is involved due to the necessity for marking; the target after the firing of each string and where mechanical means are employed for moving the target to and from firing position great difiicult-y has been experienced in maintaining such means at all times in proper working order.

The present invention aims to overcome the difiiculties heretofore experienced in marking targets of the single front type by providing mechanism which can be actuated to move the target to and from firing to marking position and which is automatically reset during movement of the target so as to be in position for further movement of the target. I

A further object of the invention is the provision of meansfor locking the target in firing position which is adapted to be retained in looking position by the actuating mechanism.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a target supporting frame work so secured tothe supporting post as to minimize the tendency of a-twist in the post throwing the frame out of line.

, Vith the foregoing and other objects in view, our invention resides in the; novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood SUI-PORT FDR Fa'INGIaE-ERQNT TARGETS.

1924 Serial No. 705,146.

Manon a, 1883; zz's'rar. L. 625.

that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

preferred embodiment of our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

' Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a target support constructed according to our invention; 2 is aside elevation thereof;

Fin. is an enlarged detail view of the s actuating mechanism;

4: is a side elevation of-the drum Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the same; and Fig, Gris an enlarged viewof the locking pawl.

Referring to the drawing'by numerals I of reference:

We have shown a post 5 adapted to carry the frame work of the target support. This post 5 may be of any suitable size and the supporting mechanism employedwith the 7 same is of such a type, as will be'described hereinafter, as to permit the use oit any log or postwhich may be found handy .on the range. The 'inaterials to be carried. to the range, therefore are reduced to a minimum.

Carried at the lower end of the post is a crossbar 6, adapted to support at either side of the center thereof guide bars 7 which extend parallel with the post. These guide bars '7 are secured at their upper ends to a second crossbar 8, which is secured to the framejwork 9 attached to the upper end of the post. I

Slidably mounted upon the guide bars 7 is the target supportingframe work 10, which may be of any suitable type but which, as shown is constructed, preferably, of a pair of parallel antrle irons provided. with registering apertures adapted to'receive the uprights? and secured in spaced relation to each other by straps 11 upon which are mounted the sockets 12 for the target frame. A plurality of such sockets will preferably be provided spaced at varying distances apart so that, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1, different sizes of targets may be used with the same fran'ie' work;

To'move the target supporting frame 10 v movement.

. the target is a flexible member 15, which may be a strap or chain. A second flexible fmember such as a chain 16 is adapted to pass over the sprocket and engage with the teeth thereof. This chain is'fastened at one end to the lower crossbar of the target sup- .otally mounted upon a beam 19 fastened to porting frame 10 and has secured to its other end a counterweight 17 of suitable size. As will be obvious unwinding of the flexible member 15 from the drum will cause movement of the chain 16 over the sprocket to move the target. By providing a flexible member 15 of a length equal to substantially half the travel or range of movement of the target, the member 15 will, during movement of the target, automatically reverse itself on the drum and thereby reset itself for further movement of the target, "the target being carried on to the limit of its movement by its own momentum.

Any suitable means may be employed for enabling the target marker to unwind, the flexible member 15 from the drum and thereby impart an initial movement to the target. lVe, preferably, employ a treadle 18 for this purpose which is preferably pivthe post adjacent its lower end. Pivoted to the end of the treadle arm is a connecting rod 20, which moves in guides 21 secured to the side of the post. A ring or other connecting :member 22 secured to the outer free end of the flexible member 15 and slidable upon the connecting rod 20serves to connect the flexible member 15 with the treadle so that movement of the treadle will cause unwinding of the strap 15.

For locking the target in its upper or firing position, we have found it preferable to provide a pawl locking member 23 pivotally mounted upon the frame 9 and so constructed as to be moved by gravity to locking position. For maintaining this locking member in locking position, we have found it preferable to form the connecting rod 20 with a head 24 which is adapted to seat in a recess 25 formed in the locking member and when seated in said recess maintain said locking member in locking position. A spring 26 interposed between the head 24 and the connecting member 22 serves to permit the necessary movement of the connecting rod 20, before the target starts, to release the locking member.

In employing a mount constructed according to our invention and assuming that the target is in upper or 'firingposition, the marker will move the treadle downwardly and with the treadle the connecting rod 20, which will impart movement to'the strap 15 and cause movement of the target. As explained above the target will continue under its own momentum to lower or marking position whilethe strap 15 will reverse it self on the drum. It should be noted that in the lower 'or marking position the connecting rod 20 I will incline rearwardly. After the target has been. marked, the marker may return the target to its upper "position by again actuatingthe treadle which will cause movement of the drum in anopposite direction to that movement initially imparted to the same in moving the target from firingposition. As in the movement already described, during the movementof the target, the strap 15 will reverse itself, the momentum. of the counterweight 17 serving to carry the target tov its upper position. l

To minimize the twisting stresses that otherwise might be exerted against the guide frame, we have found it preferable to secure the lower cross bar 6 to the post 5 by a single retaining member .27 only. tendency of a twist inthe post to throw the frame out of line with a consequentfincrease of friction in the guides is thereby obviated. I l

. A target mount of the type described is simple in operation, employs a minimum of parts, is easy. and cheap to construct, and will not readily get out of order. It obviates the necessity of hand operated winches or mechanical hoists of the type heretofore employed, and with a device of the type'described, the target can be quickly marked and quickly returned to firing position.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is: i p 1 1. In a target mount, a support, uides carried by the support, a target slldably mountedon the guidesso as to have limited movement in opposite directions relative to the support, a drum rotatably mounted on the support, flexible means adapted to pass over the drum and having frictional eugagement with the same and connected with the target at one end and at the other end to a counterweight, flexible means adapted to be unwound from the drum in one direction to permit an initial movement of the target, said means being of a length. equal. to substantially half the range of movement of the target so that said means is automatically rewound on the drum in the opposite direction during movement of the target, a

rod, a member connected to the last named flexible means slidably mounted on the rod, whereby movement of the rod in one direction causes unwinding of said flexible member, a locking member pivotally mounted on the frame and used to move bygravity to lock the target in one limit of its movement,

means on the rod adapted to retain the lock- 7 The ing member in looking position, and resilient means interposed between the last named means and the slidable member.

2.111 a target mount, a support, guides carried by the support, a target mounted on the guides so as to have limited movement in opposite directions relative to the support, a drum rotatably mounted on the support, flexible means adapted to pass over the drum and have frictional engagement with the same and connectedwith the target at one end and at the other end to a counterweight, flexible means adapted to be unwound from the drum in one direction to permit an initial movement of the target, said means being of a length equal to substantially half the travel of the target so that said means is automatically rewound on the drum in the opposite direction during movement of the target, means pivotally connected to the frame adapted to lock the target at one limit of its movement, means adapted to be actuated to unwind the last named flexible means, and means connected to the last named means adapted to retain said locking member in locking position.

3. In a target mount,ia support, guides carried by the support, a targetmounted on the guides so as to have limited movement in opposite direct-ions relative to the support, a drum rotatably mounted on the support, flexible means adapted to pass over the drum and have frictional engagement with the same, and connected with the target at one end and at the other end to a counterweight, flexible means adapted to be unwound from the drum in one direction to permit initial movement of the target, said means being of a length equal to substantially half the travel of the target so that said means is automatically rewound on the drum in the opposite direction during movement of the target.

' 4. In a target mount, a support, a target mounted on the support so as to have limited movement relative thereto, in opposite directions, a drum mounted on the support, means connecting the target to the drum to cause rotation of the drum on movement of the target, means adapted to be unwound from the drum in one direction to permit an initial movement of the target and to be automatically rewound on the drum in an opposite direction during such movement, a looking member for locking the target at one limit of its movement and means connected to said actuating means acting to retain said locking member in locking position.

In a target mount, a support, a target mounted on the support so as to have limited movement in opposite directions relative thereto, a drum mounted on the support, means connecting the target to the drum to cause rotation of the drum on movement of the target, means adapted to be unwound from the drum in one direction to permit an initial movement of the target and to be automatically rewound on the drum in an opposite direction during such movement.

(5. In a target mount, a movable target, a support or the target, means mounted on the support and adapted to be unwound in one direction to permit mm'ement oi the target and means controlled by movement of the target adapted to automatically rewind the first named means in an opposite direction during movement of the target.

7. in a target mount, a supporting frame formed with guides thereon, a target slidably mounted on the guides so as to have limited movement in opposite directions relative to the support, means adapted to be actuated to permit movement of the target and to reset itselt automatically during movement ot the target, means adapted to automatically lock the target at one limit of its movement, and means connected to the actuating member adapted to cooperate with the locking means to retain said locking means in looking position.

8. In a target mount, a support, a cross bar, a single retaining member adapted to be positioned intermediate the length of the crossbar to secure said crossbar to the support, guides carried by the crossbar at either side the retaining member, a target movable on the guides, and means for moving said target.

HARRY HOISINGTON. ,FRANK HARGENS. 

